Lara Croft from scratch
by poopseek
Summary: This is just my version of how Lara grew up with details and all... read and critizice! please... :)
1. Begining

Prologue:  
  
Was anything worth it? Why all this? To be happy? To feel Alive? I'm scarred and I know I'll get over it, but do I have anything... anyone? And she realized it, she really did have someone. It's just the beginning, I'm okay now. Nothing can go wrong now. Hardly anyone can be standing after all that's happened. Part of a evil play before I turned 5, betrayed, yet saved by my own father, saved from the grasp of demons at 16, the only survivor to such a horrible accident, only to find out it was planned, seeing a murder faked to forget what I love, killing the one I love, working with my father's murderer, entombed with an evil god, and asked to join a partner to refill the world with those that caused God to flood the earth thousands of years ago. She was not right. No one but her could be standing after all that.  
  
Chapter 1: A beginning:  
  
The loud screaming had just died down. All was finally quiet... in this room. But the silence was only in reality, for loud mixed thoughts were going through everyone's head. The room shouted new life, and one person was feeling the most mixed emotions of them all, Lady Croft. She was feeling pain, confusion, hate, emotion... but most of all love, her new daughter had been born, and Lord Richard Henshingly Croft, her husband, was standing abroad ready to name her. It's really happening, my own daughter.  
"Lara," he said to the doctor, "that's what we'll call her. Beautiful name, for a beautiful girl."  
Everyone slowly left the room giving Lady Amelia Croft some rest, and she got a quick glimpse of her baby girl. She is going to be something different. I feel it. It's like I just know it. She's just... different in some way, unique? Or better? O, I need to get some rest, I bet every mother in the world thinks that... And she dozed off.  
In the other room with the nurses, they couldn't help but notice themselves something different about this baby. She seemed unnaturally calm for a baby, almost as if she weren't scared of anything, almost like she understood what was going on. One could tell from her eyes that intelligence roared out, but almost like something else too. Something strong. They didn't say anything, and didn't realize that each nurse there was thinking almost the same thing.  
The years went by and Lara lived in one of the biggest houses in the world, and she was raised as an aristocrat from birth. Her father and mother had started decided her future when she was just a little girl.  
"I think she should go into the law business." Her father was debating, "But she'll need a suitable husband, like the Farrington's new son."  
"Honey, she is 5 years old," exclaimed Lady Croft, "your trying to arrange her marriage already? Aww darling, you are absolutely charming, they'll be a match made in heaven" I love him so much, it's so strange how he's so perfect. Maybe too perfect. No he's the greatest man alive.  
"Like you and me," he added, sounding like he meant it.  
Lord John Henshingly Croft seemed like the perfect husband, in everyway to everyone. Well, even when Lara was a little girl she noticed that he seemed a bit too perfect. No rumors. Nothing. But Lara loved her father and thought he was the greatest man alive. Lest the truth she did not know.  
In truth he was the greatest... at lying. He had a secret life he couldn't afford for anyone to know. He showed only what he could, and told only what he could. And even the most cunning people could not see through him, he blinded people with love, charm, or their own greed and desires. Cutting right into the souls of people and playing with them until he had them under his control and looking up to him, believing in him. Or in his lies. The lies that no one would understand, only Lara. One day. The only thing he and Lara had in common was that they were both very smart, and very clever. That and their love for adventure and archeology.  
Lord Croft enjoyed archeological almost as much as Lara. He studied it as one of his classes when he was younger, and spends lots of time at archeological digs. Much of the time taking Lara with him or telling her fascinating stories when she stayed home. Whether she was there or just listening to one of her fathers stories, Lara danced with emotion, a goofy happy that she did not know excited or even much understood it, when she was hearing of the adventure or experiencing it herself she felt an overwhelming emotion, like she was at home, like everything was okay, like she was alive. She did not understand it. Yet.  
The only other time she ever felt this was when she was playing sports or shooting. She mastered in rock climbing and skiing and loved individual sports; they gave her a sense of not having everything so easy, a kind of competition for herself. And besides that, she loved shooting. Recently they made her quit that shooting activity for "showing too keen an interest" and that depressed her for about a week. But got over it within time.  
As Lara kept on growing she only got smarter and more interesting. She was quick and clever, and was in love with all types of individual sports. She wasn't isolated, but for her age very independent. All her teachers seemed to notice how for a small girl she seemed to so understand. She was raised in one of the wealthiest families but she was not spoiled in the least, she was just so calm and in her eyes there blazed intelligence. 


	2. Lara

Chapter 2- Lara:  
  
BZZEEEP!  
Hmm. It's so early, I want to sleep, but that bloody clock is all the way on the other side of the room yelling at my lazy bum to get up. Oh it's so annoying!  
Lara got up and looked around. She had a large room in her mansion and in the middle of the room was her chair. She was supposed to have the maids come in and wake her up and help her get all her things quickly, but she refused to have them help with such "little tasks" that she could "handle herself". She got up and turned the alarm off then looked at her dull uniformed blue and white dress and polished black shoes. Another day. It's quite strange how I am so miserable. And yet I'm not. I'm just an average girl, but then how would anybody know what that is? It's so confusing, I couldn't understand it. It's like I'm suffocating, but from what? What am I missing?  
Lara's 16th birthday had been a week ago and she had a huge party with family, friends, and mostly father's invites. She wore a gorgeous black and white gown and surprised everyone with how gorgeous she keeps on growing to be. Long thin legs with small bones so they looked perfect, a curvy figure missing the aspects that time would fill in, big intelligent brown eyes, with luscious lips that grow to one of the most lively smiles and her long silky brown hair falling down on the smooth revealing skin on her back. She was smiling to everyone on the outside and while inside she was gasping for air. Bloody corset. But she was still to learn, it had nothing to do with that.  
Meanwhile at the teachers lounge in the Wimbledon High School the teachers were discussing what to do...  
"I think that it would be a smart idea for him to come to a younger class for once," said Professor Vnagla, Russian Literature. "My student Lara, I have very high hopes for her, she is so smart, and I know this that she loves archeology. Wait, I know she has a class later on that is with older students. He should go there."  
"Alright, with your recommendations, Natasha, I will."  
"Thank you Professor!" Zhenchena mojit vseevo c mosheena delat. (Women can do anything with men) thought Professor Vnalga.  
  
Right before school started, Professor Vnalga came to tell Lara the news. "Lara, I have some exciting news for you, I talked to the headmaster and Professor Von Croy is going to be in your class today, I knew you'd love to see him."  
"Oh my God! You did that for me? Thanks much Professor Vnalga! Appreciate it!" Von Croy! Famous archeologist! This is too good to be true! 


	3. The Truth

"Akran! How are we doing with the Michael Farrington?"  
"Alright. It's been a long time. Why do you insist on ruining him so much?"  
"It was because of this little child that my father died! I will not sit around while he gets whined and dined. I won't stand for it, now I told you, I don't care how much time it takes, and we'll ruin him. We'll give him everything and he won't even notice. Then little by little we'll just take it all away. Then... everything."  
"How are you so sure that he will marry the girl?"  
"I have her father crying with my blackmail. He'll make sure it happens."  
"How are you going to finish her? And when?"  
"Right before they get married. I think I'll make it happen in a plane crash. Let him imagine the horror."  
  
Chapter 4.  
  
"Yes dear?" said Lady Croft as Richard was calling her.  
"You know I have been thinking. And I think that the Earl of Farrington should marry our daughter for sure. I thin-"  
"No, I've been talking to Lara, and it seems that they have courted but she is not interested, she's told me she wants to start a career in archeology. She likes him, but she's said she doesn't want anything in her way. I've tried to tell her it's not the right job for a young lady, but she only rolls her eyes. I hope she changes her mind. But she's still so young. I just think he doesn't have the craving she does. You know, that life." Lady Croft said just as she left the room.  
Bloody Hell! I'm going to kill myself. They'll ruin me! I've got to get this out of her mind before, ugh, I don't know. I'll make sure she grows out of it. I hope. And I need to make that bloke fall in love with her. I wish I could think of something! 


	4. A Chance

"No!"  
"Lara, I thought you loved to travel!"  
"Yes father, Europe would be great, an adventure. But Auntie? Daddy, you know we wouldn't get along, maybe it's just best I stay home?"  
"No, your going to stay with your aunt, and her butler, and you'll be in their huge, beautiful mansion! That doesn't sound so bad." After she's done with her, Lara will be the most well brought up girl. She will learn its not a lady's job, and never think to do archeology again. She will only want Micheal, he'll be perfect. I hope.  
Lord Henshingly Croft knew Lara too well that she would never grow out of it, after all she had the same passion for adventure as he did. And he knew that she would want to always be on her own, and if she pursued this profession, would never marry the Earl of Farrington. Lord Henshingly decided the best idea here was to send Lara away to her aunt, who was one of the strictest women. But even though she could make a pit bull learn proper manners, there's a small chance that Lara will forget about what she wants to do. This is the only chance I have. If she could just silently convince Lara how it's not a lady's work... oh just something!  
".... And also, if I am spending my summer before boarding school so miserably, I could start the year bad, and that could mean a lot of wasted time and money. Time for me, money for you, and not to mention that I could be the one making auntie go crazy. Heh, you know me father, and besides that Europe is an educational place, but so is England. I promise that I'll spend my time going to churches and museums and-"  
"Lara, you're going and that's it! I will not have you argue any more! Your 16 years old, it is not your decision to make!"  
Lara was sitting in the middle of a large sitting room filled with paintings and large old fashioned white chairs. With her two braids on each side of her head and her face with a strong anger in her eyes, but she looked gorgeous anyway, and made the scene look like a storybook picture. She was absolutely frustrated with the new change of plans.  
I wonder what's been going on. It's so strange that all of a sudden Dad won't tell me about his trips anymore, my family is trying to take me away from what I love! and now Father wants me to go with Auntie. I don't understand this. Wait, what's this? Oh my god! This is it! The chance I've been waiting for! Von Croy! I remember him! And he liked me, now he's having this expedition. YES! Perfect for everything... I'll go all around Asia!  
* * *  
"No." Henshingly said. "I have got an awful feeling about this Lara. I just think you should get this out of your head, your only 16!"  
"But dad, Von Croy is amazing! And I trust him, he's done stuff like this before, so what's to say this time will be bad. He'll teach me how to survive in the true art of archeology and adventure! Please, how can you say no to this! And this is educational!" And fun! Why won't he let me?  
"It's out of the question. End of discussion." Wait a minute! This is a better idea then any I've had. "Wait, maybe Lara. Don't get your hopes up; I'll talk to this Von Croy. See how reliable he is." I'm brilliant! 


	5. Plans

Von Croy sat there silently remembering the last few months, and how it had been for him. He was doing great, a world famous archeologist, but his problems with debt had him falling behind with money. It was just a few months before that he visited the Wimbledon High School for Girls and met Lara. She had such a charisma for life, and that motivated him, he then decided to go on an archeological tour all across Asia. Maybe I could try and get something out of this trip that could put me back on track.  
  
***  
  
"Hello?"  
"Hello, this is Lord Henshingly Croft, from Surrey. I was calling in regard to your trip around Asia. My daughter would like to accompany you."  
"Oh. Croft, ja? Uh, I'm not sure if that would be alright, have I ever met your daughter?"  
"Yes, you tutored at her school, Wimbledon High School for Girls?"  
"O Yes... Lara Croft.... I remember," She was the brightest student in the class, she had such intelligent questions, she can obviously take care of herself. This is not a bad idea, "It would be a pleasure, Sir."  
"Really. That's good. But anyways, there was something else I would like to discuss. Something kind of private..."  
"What's that Sir Croft?"  
"How would you like to make 100,000 dollars Von Croy?"  
  
She stood there. Too excited for words, staring blankly at all her packed suitcases. Wearing a white sleeveless shirt with a hunter green vest and army shorts. She had on her new boots her father bought her and wore her hair in two pigtails. Millions of things were running through her mind. I don't ever remember being this excited in my entire life. It's like all my dreams are coming true. Or this perfect one.  
The trip around Asia made Lara something she had never been. Truly alive. She had never known what passion was until this trip. She felt like she was at home, like this was her home, traveling and adventure. This was what she was going to spend her life doing, and nothing was going to get in her way. And then Cambodia.  
Cambodia was amazing to Lara. The feel of it captured her in a way she thought she could never be captured. The adventure was overwhelming. The thought of being so far from home, traveling across a continent inspired her. She knew this was what she wanted to spend her life doing. Become just like Werner Von Croy. They went to Phnom Pen and watched some people perform an ancient Aspara dance. They walked around and admired the beauties of the Royal Palace there. They saw the gorgeous structure of the Independence Monument. It was really a dream come true. She couldn't think of anyplace more beautiful. But there was. Angkor was definitely Lara's climax to the adventure. And she was soon to learn that it was the downfall as well. They visited the many temples in Angkor. They went to Angkor Thom, The Bayon with its 3 levels of gorgeous structures. The 5 brick towers of Prasat Kraven, and then Angkor Wat.  
Lara had heard about Angkor Wat but she wasn't ready for the surreal experience. She had never been so sure in her life. This is it! I need this; I want to do this for the rest of my life. It was a feeling of being alive, happiness she never thought existed. She truly felt alive. Von Croy and Lara entered through the West entrance and the hallways were long and filled with statues. Von Croy taught Lara how to understand the ancient buildings and what to read, what to decipher. He was impressed that she could read some of the ancient language from the Khmer empire. He also trained her in sprinting very quickly and how to do some tricky things that could cost her, her life one day. With all the exercise and training she got at home, she was a very fast learner.  
Lara and Von Croy came to a stop with a big oval door that Von Croy hadn't known about, but he saw a small crawl way big enough for Lara to fit in. He told her to go there and check if there were any levers. Lara obeyed and crawled through, carefully, and remembered Von Croy's words, 'disrespect is the root to carelessness.' She reached an opening and looked around and spotted a skeleton that had had the misfortune of falling on some deadly spikes. But what Lara noticed was the intact leather backpack that was hanging from the skeletons hand. She picked it off causing the skeletons hand to fling in the other direction. Once she put on the backpack she felt a strange feeling, a feeling of her knowing the future, like this is it. She shrugged and saw a lever, pulled it, and voila the big oval door opened.  
When she came out Von Croy saw the backpack and told her she better hope she not have the same luck as the previous owner.  
"I make my own luck."  
They slid down and kept walking through the temple until they reached a little opening going in two directions. Von Croy tells Lara that one way is for the heretical and the other for the virtuoso. Lara knew he meant that the heretical could be much more dangerous, but it didn't take her more then two seconds to get her decision.  
"I'm up for a little heresy." 


	6. rememberence

"Richard! What is going on? I have heard that your daughter is on an archeological trip. Archeological! Isn't that what's keeping her from marrying Michael!"  
"Calm down. It's all going to turn out well for you, " Lara's dad began to get nervous they way he always did when Alex called, "Don't worry, after this she'll never want to even speak of archeology again."  
And the line just clicked.  
  
***  
  
Von Croy and Lara came to a vast room with what looked to be a drained pool in the center. Von Croy had read that they both needed to pull two levers at the same time to open a big oval door similar to the one seen earlier. The only way to get to the other lever was to climb in a small crawl space, and of course that would mean Lara would go. When she climbed through it and up a ladder she came on top of the room. Above the drained pool was a dangling rope that could lead her to the other side. But she had no idea if that could hold her, should it not... Lara shuddered. Without hesitation she ran and grabbed the rope. Only one way to find out. She made it safely to the other side and they pulled the levers and the big oval door opened to a sliding pathway. They both slid down. When Lara reached the end Von Croy was already there waiting for her.  
Von Croy offered Lara a race to the room with the Iris. It was dangerous, careless, and a crazy idea. Lara loved it. At first she was confused but tried not to get lost, for it could cost her, her life, and then once she got the hang of it, she saw a stone in the distance and a huge gap with an enormous sphere inside it. She stopped and read the engravings on the stone, and then Von Croy appeared.  
"And so, the pupil excels the master. I congratulate you on your agility. Take you prize from the plinth. You have earned it."  
"In the time you took to find your way here, I've examined the inscriptions. It warns on vengeance on those who remove it." Lara warned.  
"Ah, ancient hocus pocus. Forget this nonsense and come over here!" Von Croy replied.  
"I don't count poison darts and triggered entombment you average child's tea party. I feel we should lend this some respect," said Lara.  
"Ah, and you are the world-famous archeologist-adventurer Lara Croft, ja? No, no, I am the renowned archeologist-adventurer, Werner Von Croy, and you will do as I say. Go to the wall, and pull the lever!" Von Croy said loudly.  
As Lara was walking, she stated, "What was it that you said? Disrespect is the route to carelessness?"  
Von Croy, getting annoyed replied, " I am weary of this. Pull the lever now, Miss Croft."  
" On your head be it... Von Croy."  
As they pulled the levers the huge sphere came up and opened with a little walkway attached. Inside there laid a gorgeous artifact that circled around itself. As Von Croy was walking to the bridge he stated, "Have faith in experience, child, and you will learn more the simple-" As Von Croy laid his hand on the artifact, the whole place crumbles down and the spear closes on Von Croy.  
"You were saying?" said Lara as Von Croy just makes it out and then his leg gets stuck and he falls, the sphere closing in on him.  
"My leg! My leg! I am trapped! My leg is trapped! Help me Lara! Help Me!" Von Croy yelled, this isn't supposed to happen! Scheisse!  
"Hold on! I'm coming back to get you! Werner!" And it all closed in. Lara ran out, just missing death and watched from the east gate, the room they were in tumble down. 


	7. Ireland

The first good thing that's happened since... Angkor. Lara thought, as she packed her bags for Gordonstoun Boarding School, 4 months after Angkor. The idea of going far away from home will never cease to excite her  
Lara decided she would not be an archeologist. She felt it was her fault what happened to Werner and if she were to ever become famous, well it just wasn't right for her. She had been depressed and not herself since Asia.  
"It wasn't right for her to go, she's too young." said Lady Croft  
"I know, I feel so guilty," said Lord Croft, sounding like he meant it. This is great. Just great.  
When Lara returned form Angkor, Lord Croft arranged for her to "bump" into Michael. And so it happened, and Lara not being able to control herself, flew into tears and told him everything. After that she had a new love to Michael, and didn't realize herself that he had fallen in love with her.  
For the next few months, Michael was the only person Lara would see and they talked for hours. Michael had tried to sex with her on numerous occasions, but Lara turned them all down. To give her virginity away so "easily" and "fast" was not her idea of who she was. She was too strong to give into seduction.  
Gordonstoun was a nice boarding school in Scotland, and Lara did a numerous amounts of sport there, all individual though. She was the best at rock climbing, canoeing, and again took her shooting range classes and learned about a lot of different weaponry. She fell in love with the 9mm pistols; she would go shooting very often with those. She was really happy about being in the mountains of Scotland, and over the summer of her first year in the school, her parents let her stay with Winston, her aunt's butler. One night it was storming fiercely and Lara was staying at Winston's house and called Father Bram Patrick and said she saw weird lights and manifestation was around. He then came over immediately to talk to Winston.  
"... So people have seen apparition out on the island?" asked Father Patrick.  
"There is talk of little else in the village, Bram I'm doing all I can to stop this gossip from Lara." said Winston. As he said this, Lara opened the door a bit, so she could eavesdrop.  
"Aye, ye would be a wise man. It would be unwise for her curiosity to draw her to that place."  
"And you have some idea what it can be?" Winston asked.  
"To be frank with you, no, but as the devil finds work for idle hands, I've spoken with father Franigan and have a boat chattered for the crossing late on this very evening."  
"Good Lord, Bram! You haven't chosen the evening for it?"  
"I have my faith to protect me, Winston."  
"Be careful, I fear on that island, its what you don't see that will hurt you, Bram," said Winston.  
Lara overheard the conversation, and the second Father Patrick confessed he was going out tonight, she grabbed her vest and backpack and ran out and found Father Franigan's boat and hid under some of the blankets there. When they got to the island, Father Patrick disappeared within some rocks, not realizing he just left young Lara all alone.  
Lara walked onto the island and across from where she was standing, she saw a flat rock she could jump to safely. She got there and shimmied on the rocks above and followed the pathway until she reached a long slope leading down. She slid down. All alone, yet not the least bit scared, yet, Lara walked up to a fire under a tree. She heard a strange noise and gasped. Ahead of her was a dead corpse that had apparently had its heart ripped out. 


	8. Labrynth

"Come child. Come closer for I have gifts for thee." The hanged man said in a raspy choked voice.  
"I'll stay where I am."  
The hanged man chuckled, and added, "Fear not this visage. It is but a vessel for my troubled spirit... Come closer for you are safe while I am hung like so much butchered meat."  
Lara looked at the strange corpse, and asked, "Who... are you?"  
"Who? Hmmm. For it is more like what. Condemned to wander between the kingdoms of man and that of the elementals. Hmmm. But I must be swift in my request. Ssss. For they watch and wait to once more draw me back into darkness."  
"Request?"  
"My heart girl. They have hidden my petrified heart in this, the world tree. Down under the watchful gaze of the dragon, Neadog. Hmm... Find this my child and return it to its rightful resting place. Hisss... and you shall be rewarded."  
Lara asked, "And why on earth should I trust you?"  
"Not on Earth girl, In between. My soul is gone and how it fares... nobody knows.... and nobody cares." There was a short, eerie laugh from the corpse and a loud blast and he was gone. Lara went in search for his heart. She remembered how he mentioned it's in his "world tree" and figured it'd be a good idea to get under it. She followed to small area fit for her to crawl through. She came to a pathway leading into darkness, under an area boarded up. She walked into the darkness first and could make out something on the ground. She picked it up and went into the light; it was a weird shaped thing that looked as though it had been broken off of something. Hmm, well you never know, I'll put this in my backpack... just in case.  
She climbed to the area on top of the end of the pathway, and saw an opening in the place that was boarded up. She saw something holding two church bells, and thought, I know, I'm going to need to find some rubber. She went back out to the area where the hanged corpse was and saw another space on the other side, big enough for her to crawl. She was about to go there when she saw some vines that led up. Near the tree where the corpse was, was a little house with an open roof, Lara swung on the vines and landed on a rock above the house, before having time to think, she slipped and was thrown into the opening in the roof, luckily she landed in water. She swam along till she reached an opening. Got out and looked around, she saw a place to go around the back. Too her luck there was a broken bicycle there, she found some rubber and tried to think of a way out. Across from where she was standing was another pool of water under another space she could crawl through, she jumped over and went through the crawlspace and came out, just where she was about to go in. She backtracked to the boarded up area. Put her two pieces together, found a rock and slingshot it to where towards where the bells were being hung up by and quickly jumped out of the way as they fell down, opening up the pathway for her. She found some iron on the floor, and picked it up, wondering how she would be able to use it and went into the ground floor.  
Lara came to a vast place filled with small cabins. She remembered she had to find the bottom of that "world tree" and first went into one of the cabins to see what was inside. Just a table and ... what's this, a torch? I might need this. Lara picked up the torch kept looking. Only more cabins and then as she walked more upward she saw a closed door near a wall that had an engraving opening, like something was supposed to fit in there. She turned to examine the rest of the area and saw a hole with a ladder leading down. Hmmm.... wonder if there's anything down there I'd rather... not... see. She jumped down. Only one way to find out. Walking along Lara spotted fire burning and lit her torch to see well. She kept walking till she came to a room and on the ceiling were roots. The bottom of the tree. How convenient... I wonder how I find the heart? I know!  
She reached up the burning torch and lit the roots of the tree on fire. Out fell a heart. She picked it up and quickly put it in her backpack not wanting to look at it for any longer then she already had. She walked to the back of the room and heard noises. She saw Father Patrick standing over a pit talking.  
"Go back to your slumbering. This is but a child, and she shall not cross your path as you shall not cross hers." Father Patrick was saying.  
" Come closer for often it is easier to be brave from a distance." The voice was saying.  
"I am here now, and I have a gift for you, you cantankerous worm!" said Father Patrick as he threw something into the pit.  
"Argh! Curse you priest! If you live till doomsday you shall burn a week longer than the world! I swear!" The voice yelled, as it seemed to vanish. Father Patrick turned around and saw Lara standing there. He wasn't too surprised. But she had a confused look on her face.  
"Iron. Never found a demon yet that doesn't bum at its touch." Father Patrick explained.  
Good thing I picked some up. "What was in that hole?" Lara asked.  
"In the... Never mind that. What on earth are you doing here? No, don't bother. We'll get on to that later. Right now we need to get you out to somewhere safe until morning. That's assuming you'll stay in one place, young lady." Father Patrick said, doubting the last bit.  
"Nothing with demons, right?"  
"Well, I can't promise anything in this Godforsaken place. I'll light the way and go on ahead to clear out any unwelcome guests. Now once you're out, head to the chapel over the bridge. I'll meet you there. I'm forgetting me manners, don't speak to strange things, and if there's anything around - and trusting me skills in this area- there shouldn't be! Iron, girl. Use iron to repel 'em. See you on top. Keep your wits about you." Father Patrick advised and then left.  
Lara turned and went out after him to the other side to put the heart in the wall near the door. When this was accomplished the door opened and Lara stepped in. She turned only to see half a dozen small white creatures gnarling at her. She threw the iron at them and the most of them disappeared. Quickly moving the plate she saw ahead of her, Lara dropped down and found the Bridge where Father Patrick was to meet her, where ahead lies a chapel. Father Patrick was not there. Better look around then, I wouldn't want to stay bored, thought Lara.  
She walked to the other side of the chapel and saw a large bowl and three stones after the other. After pushing all three, they came back out and nothing happened. Lara tried a different pattern. Again. But the third time she heard a door open in the back, scared but excited she turned only to find herself staring at a room full of skeletons. With swords. Swinging swords. Lara barely made it to the other side of the room alive, and as she neared the door she heard a noise behind her. 


	9. Saving

Startled and filled with a fear she had never felt before, Lara stood in front a demon skeleton in a robe come toward her. Fortunately, It passed Lara, and as she looked over she saw it put something into a newel on one of the pew and then disappeared into the wall. Lara came over and looked at what was in the newel. As she took it off, some music began to play and then some bone dust fell out and Lara quickly put the newel back on. She carefully went back to where the three stones were and poured the bone dust in the large bowl and in that moment all the demons in the room flew out and disappeared. She went back out to where she saw another door open.  
She went in and slid down and walked into a room and didn't see a hole right in the middle. She fell.  
As if Lara's day hadn't been filled with enough luck already, she landed in a huge pool of water. As she got out she heard the same noise the demon skeletons made earlier. She knew she had to get away from this area and find Father Patrick. But before that she wanted to see what was around. Nothing like a young, curious, and lucky girl stuck on Demon Island.  
She was in a tall building with three rotating structures that lead to the Bestiary. An ancient book of demons. Lara started walking up and went into one of the rotating structures that had one long walkway towards a switch. This could be dangerous; I really need to find Father Patrick soon. But still I wonder what happens.... Lara pulled the switch and two of the structures started rotating. She heard both of them moving. She came back out where she came from, only this time on a different side. She walked up another set of stairs and this time did not pull the switch. She had already heard this structure moving and since this one had two walkways so it didn't seem to present a problem.  
She walked back up the stairway and found the third structure, only this one didn't have a switch, but too the right she saw a book and noticed some protective symbols on it. This looks like a Bestiary. She picked it up and carefully hopped across the room to a door. She walked through and suddenly got a good feeling swept through her. Seems not everything here is a demon. She saw a white spirit and began to follow it hoping it would lead her somewhere. She followed it hopping over pits and hearing noises behind her and she didn't even what to know what they were. She finally reaches a room with an open coffin standing upward; she went inside and slipped down a ramp. She ran into Father Patrick.  
"Good Lord girl, it's me. I've enough on my plate without you making me jump out of me skin, Lara." The priest said.  
Oh my goodness. "Your hair...."  
"What about me hair?" asked Father Patrick confused.  
"It's.... white!" Lara shrieked.  
"Hmm...Aye. That'd be right. I was detained by some unpleasant fellows from down below. Gave me quite a fright. That's why I wasn't at the chapel, but I can see you've kept yourself busy. Anyways, let's get you out of here, and back to safety." advised Father Patrick as they walked to a rainy hillside up top. "Right, young lady. I'm going to have a quick look around now for a safe place to put you. Now you stay put, or you'll be banging into something that'll make your hair turn white. And we wouldn't be wanting that now, would we?"  
"Father, I found a book in the Labyrinth."  
"You've been sight-seeing in there as well? Good Lord almighty, girl! I'll be needin' to chain ye to something!"  
"It has protective symbols. Maybe you can use them." Lara explained.  
"Bless you for the thought, but I've enough protection from Him above. And for that diagram to be any good you'd have to draw it out and be sitting' in the middle of it. And you know something, I've left all me coloring pens at home tonight. Now, you'll be doing me a big favor if you were to stay put before you bang into something bigger than you."  
"Stay put. Right." Lara lied.  
As soon as Father left, Lara went over and saw a block on the floor. Lara remembered a picture of the same block in the book she found. She passed by it and saw some demonic-looking man on a horse coming over, and she began to grow very scared. She ran. Looking over, Lara saw a sword in his hand so she bowed down, and when she looked up he was standing right in front of her.  
The demonic horseman picked Lara up by her neck, struggling her, and threw her quite far behind him, and raced back to where he was. Lara made a mental note not to pass the block again. But she wasn't through yet, so she looked through her book and found a symbol that was drawn on a block like this one here. What she needed was something the could be used to draw on this, and of course it had to be around there somewhere. She went into an opening she saw and walked up. She spotted the same small white demons she had before. This time they were throwing things at her. She saw a rope hanging and jumped to it... reminding her of Angkor. She struggled and realized that the demons were throwing rocks at her and she started to bleed. Lara swung on the vine and landed on a ledge nearby. Fortunately for her, she found a torch on the floor, and a fence. She broke off a part of the fence so that she used as a crowbar. She slid down to where she first came in and noticed the huge pit she could have fallen in. But Lara was fearless. She lit the torch and threw it at the demons and they went crazy. They started to go in circles and she figured she'd be safe for a while.  
She jumped back on the rope, a little terrified at the height she was at, and swung herself across. She saw an opening and knew that something was there that she would need. A couple of slopes were leaning toward the opening so she slid on one, jumped to the other, and repeatedly did that, till she hung near the opening and pushed herself in. She looked over and saw chalk. Lara took the crowbar and saved herself some time trying to get it off whatever was holding it tightly against a wall, and then put it in her back pack. Now, she thought, how to get back. She got out of the room she was in a crawled over and out, but the only way to get to the opening she came in was to keep crawling. But the space became too small for her. That didn't stop Lara, she crawled out-and held on. She kept holding on and pushing herself to the left, and then when she got where she wanted, she walked out.  
Lara came back to the stone and started drawing a symbol she saw in the book, unfortunately the horseman had come up to her just as she finished, and lowed down his sword to strike her until Father Patrick came at the last second and moved Lara out of the way. The horseman took Father Patrick as Lara was running away and knocked him in the head with the end of his sword. Lara turned only to see that the priest was being carried away. Angry, she followed them and came to a barn. Out came the demon with Father Patrick.  
With an eerie flow and a deep, evil voice, the demon horseman began to speak, "Who is this that stands before me? The first to visit me in my prison seven hundred years past!"  
Father Patrick fearlessly replied, "Seven hundred years? All alone in a barn? Uh, well those winter nights must've just flown by!"  
"Silence, ignorant heretic, or I behead you!" The horseman said and he shoved the priest off the horse.  
Lara standing watching took notice of the fact that the priest is in grave danger, "Leave him be!" She yelled.  
The demon took note of Lara standing there and an idea formed, "For the child has spirit, but what is that? When island is littered with the bones of holy men. My gift to them for their spirit in obstructing me from claiming my rightful inheritance."  
Father Patrick said, "And this inheritance, I would wonder, would be some way to explain why you're walking and breathing when you should be long gone past?"  
"The inheritance is the gift of eternal life. Contained with an ancient scroll. Concealed by the dullard Abbey and his cohorts. The scroll, which draws forth pale demon blood through my veins. I am no longer man. I am one for earth and one for above the gaping abyss of Hades," the demon replied.  
"So why stay on this island," Father Patrick mocked, "come for the holiday, and fell in love with the scenery?"  
"Hold your yapping tongue for want I clip it!" The demon yelled, "Boils and plagues plaster over this island and its treacherous inhabitants! For it was they, and their ox little abbot, who plotted to incarcerate me in this dungeon hall for an eternity. I, Vladimir Kaleta, who worshipped in the first Kremil, who butchered the Swede and the Lefsky on the banks of the River Neva, Incarcerated within this prison of flowing water."  
Lara was a little confused, "Running water... you're trapped by running water!"  
Father Patrick explained, "Demons cannot cross running water."  
"Indeed. The abbot's final trick before I was transformed, " The demon spoke, then turned to Lara, "And you shall find a way to shore up this stream or your holy man shall be opened up and gutted like live fruk!" And with that the horseman took Father Patrick back into the barn.  
Lara realized what she must do. She looked and the water surrounding the barn was running so fast, Lara couldn't go through to the tunnels there. So first I have to slow this water down. She walked over and jumped in some of that water and it pushed her to a larger pool. She looked over and saw more water surrounding a windmill. Lara jumped in the water and noticed a cage, she kept swimming around. She swam towards a golden light, and saw some ugly red creature. It began to attack Lara, and she tried to free herself quickly, for she was running out of breath. Before she swans up for breath she noticed that the creature was protecting a white coin. And behind the creature was a tunnel. Bingo. She got some breath and went down and quickly took the silver coin from behind the demon. Then, Lara decided to swim over to the cage and put the coin there. As she guessed the creature wasn't so smart and swam right in, as Lara closed the cage in on her. She swam to surface, and the same little white demons she saw earlier, brought up the creature and feasted on in. Lara got a deep breath and swam for the tunnel.  
When Lara reached the end of the tunnel, she found a room with mechanisms. Right, now all I have to do is slow that water down so I can figure how to stop it... but then what? No, I must save Father. While Lara was thinking she noticed a large wheel, pulled it and heard a door open. She shrugged and followed the pathway to an open door. Just as she stepped in it closed after her. She saw two possibilities, on her left she could slide back down to that room. Or she could go up. She jumped up onto the ledge, only to find a switch. Lucky, this wasn't too hard. She pulled it and slid down, and out of the room, which fortunately led right back to the windmill. Then Lara made her way back to the barn. Now to see where this leads and - Wait. There's in opening in that one windmill there, I could go in there and it probably stops all the water. Locked. Well everything can open someway; this is obviously from the inside. All I have to do now is get to the top into the opening.  
Lara jumped over next to the barn and landed on a block. She kept jumping over carefully; realizing one jump could mean her life. After a series of life-risking jumps Lara made it to the top of the mill roof. She jumped in the opening, found a circular switch. Outside you could here a strange silence. The water stopped, and Lara walked out. She heard a large bang and a horse, and saw there the demon was out with Father.  
The demon spoke up, "Your child has done her job well, and I taste freedom for the first time in an eon. You will now fear me? For you have served your purpose well holy man, and for this I should I exercise mercy as a god might?"  
"Now that'd be nice, but I'm not holding me breath," Father Patrick mocked once again.  
"Yes, I shall spare and secure for you a fate worse then death! For you have released a demon," The demon replied.  
"My faith will protect me from feckless lesser demons as yourself," Father said bravely.  
The demon horseman did not find it brave, but insulting and hit the priest and threw him back on to the floor.  
Lara began to get worried that she'd made a huge mess of things, "Father!" She yelled.  
"Ah! The child, I shall snuff out her life as a candle," The demon said.  
If only she had the book. Oh My! Didn't she say she found a book in the labyrinth! That's why it wasn't there. Father Patrick recalled, and screamed out to Lara, "The book from the library!" As he was speaking the demon got closer to Lara, "the names! Read out the names!"  
Lara took out the book, known as the Bestiary, and began reading, "Askeroth, Aqueil, Arrancula, Belial, Burcom, Boliath... Help me!" Lara yelled, as the demon only got closer.  
"Keep reading girl, you're almost there." Father supported.  
"Camos, Masteflou..." Lara abruptly stopped as the demon waved his sword at her and Father Patrick came and pushed him away, Lara got the book quickly and read out the last name, "Verdilet!"  
The demon stopped and couldn't move, "How is this? I move to strike, and yet, cannot!"  
"You've done well, girl, and before you ask, I'll tell ye. The book you've got, I me self was looking fir it, but as I couldn't find it, I assumed you had it. And lucky ye did!"  
Lara looked over at the demon, "But how...?"  
"If you name a demon, you have power over him, and you named him, it's your shout Lara."  
The demon began screaming again, "For this you shall burn for eternity! I shall drown you in a mire of your own entrails before I squeeze- "  
"Be quiet!" Lara yelled, and the demon was silenced.  
"What ye reckon we get out of this God-forsaken place and go and get a nice cup of tea with Winston?" Father Bram said, as he started to leave, "Almost forgot, would you be wantin' to wave goodbye to our little friend?"  
"Back to where you belong!" And the demon disappeared. Then Lara and Father Patrick left, talking of whether Lara learned her lesson.  
"And you'll have learned a few valuable lessons from that, I be thinkin"  
"You'd be thinking right, Father."  
Lara realized that there on the island she felt such adventure and fun that she had not felt for a while. She was in light spirits when she returned to Gordounstoun. 


	10. Himalayas

The years flew by, and many young men had tried to get Lara to marry them, and she turned every one of them down. She knew she only wanted Michael Farrington. Two years later, when Lara turned 18 she went to a Swiss Finishing school until the age of 21. Lara had blossomed more then anyone would think. Lord Croft welcomed her home with a huge party with many of his friends, some of hers, and of course Michael Farrington. When they saw each other, the sparks flew. Michael was an attractive man of 23, with brown hair, intelligent gray eyes, and a smile that opened a million frowns. That night Lara wore a small black dress made by Christian Dior and she looked gorgeous, she had a figure that no one could ever imagine existed. But that didn't seem to matter. Michael did.  
"Hi Lara."  
"Hi Michael."  
"Do you love me as much as I do you?"  
"No."  
"No?"  
"I love you more." She wondered if she meant it and she gave a smile that made Michael willing to just die for her. She was everything to him.  
"Marry me Lara. Marry me."  
I knew he would ask me soon. This is... wonderful I guess, but I feel like there's a hole in me that needs to be filled with something. I guess I just should accept. I can't just say no, I love him. "Yes!"  
And Michael announced it. They were engaged and everyone was smiling and clapping for them.  
A little while later, Lara noticed some strange man walked over to Lara.  
"Hello, I'm -uh- Roy. You look lovely." He had an American accent.  
"Hello. Lara. But I'm sure you know that." He laughed. More then he should have.  
"I think your just amazing, you know that? Well let me cut to the chase. I heard that at Gordonstoun you excelled in the entire individual sports there. Even shooting." He winked.  
"Well, I didn't exactly excel, I simply did what I love at my best. Is there a point to this?" Lara said. I don't trust him for some reason.  
"Why yes. Now don't be feisty, I'm your friend! Remember that. Well I come from a little country called America. Wisconsin, to give you all details. Anyway, I have this trip coming up and you and the Farrington boy can come, I'm a nice guy, I told you I'm your friend, I want to make you to happy, " He lowered his voice, "courtesy of your father. But you aint supposed to know that. Anyway, since your engaged, it would be a little present, a skiing trip-"  
"I'd love to!" Father is great, he is always going all out of his way for me.  
At the end of the day, Lord Croft ran into Roy and they exchanged looks then Roy left the mansion. I wonder why the hell Alex was here?  
Alex made sure that Ricahard did not see him boarding the plane with Lara, he didn't want him to have any idea what was going on. Richard just thought that Lara and Michael were going on a honeymoon trip, so did they all. All but Alex.  
The Skiing trip started out wonderfully. Everything was perfect. Almost. Something in Lara was yelling out, and had been for years now, the same when she was a little girl. Something in her felt not right, like she was missing something. Like a hole needed to be filled. She ignored it. She was with the man she loved. The man she would soon marry and make love to.  
She loved skiing and she was good at it, Michael was all right, but nothing in comparison to Lara. They spent ever minute together, and had there own cabin to sleep in.  
"Lara, let me make love to you."  
"Yes Michael, I love you."  
"Do you?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"You've been so adrift lately. So far away... are you sure you want to marry me?"  
"Positive... I'm ready for you..." She winked. That night she lost her virginity to the man she loved and trusted. Sex was a whole new world for her, something she never experienced, but it wasn't like everyone had obsessed about. It was just a wonderful sensation between her and Michael. A little sensation. People exaggerate. We're perfect.  
After a week it was time to go home, they went stepped onto a plane. Roy said he wanted to stay for a week more with Michael, that they needed to go over some stuff. Michael couldn't stand being away from Lara, but he didn't want to seem too clingy.  
Lara was off. She looked over and saw a man sitting next to her, looking like he was in his late 40's. He leaned over to ask the waiter to bring him some water. Lara loved flying. She felt the turbulence shake up and got excited, for some reason she didn't understand. All the other passengers grew scared. She sat up and looked out the window... It looked like everything was getting smaller, and then bigger, and it kept changing. She was getting confused, this never happened before. She was about to get up and talk to the captain or someone that worked there before the whole plane crashed down and went straight for the ground. She felt an adrenaline in where she couldn't stand how much she was scared. Like her hole body was elsewhere and she was on this plane feeling this, just her thoughts. She was so scared, a feeling she'd not known, but didn't care to know, all she could do was think... and didn't realize that she was screaming. She didn't realize anything but her mother, and then her father, and then- BOOOOOOOOM. A loud crash and she woke up... Was it a dream? No, she was surrounded by bodies, dead bodies. The plane was going to blow. She had to think fast, everything was closed. Ahead she saw where flight stewardess had tried opening an emergency exit. She ran towards the exit and opened it, which for her was surprisingly hard. She was bleeding, but before leaving she looked over and grabbed someone's bag that was on the floor and jumped out. She landed on snow, and made a huge cut in her hand from some pieces. She ran. Lara ran as fast as her legs have ever carried her, with tears in her eyes that she had not realized had been there, she looked around and found an opening and went into it and hid behind the first thing she laid eyes on.  
It was louder then any gunshot and it hurt. It hurt her heart to know all those people died in there. All of them. She looked around. Lara was the only survivor. She was freezing; all she had on were her black and white pants for when she goes skiing and a light sweater. She looked in the bag and found a lot of clothes. She put a couple of shirts under her jacket and what were harder, tight pants under hers. She found a hanger, and took it and reshaped it to be a long and very sharp weapon she would have to use. She really knew what she was doing. Before she had a chance to think of anything else, she heard a snarl and turned to see a wolf standing there, already feasting in his mind. It jumped at her and in the last second Lara moved right out of the way. Realizing she had an instinct for survival, an instinct she'd not known existed, and an instinct she loved. The wolf only got angrier, but unfortunately for the wolf, Lara just gained her confidence. 


	11. continued

"Tea?"  
Tea? They ask me to have tea? Why would I want that! Don't they understand? Nobody understands! What's going on here? Nothing. Everyone is sitting, Michael is coming soon, and I don't even want to see him. I don't want any of this. This is nothing to me; it's just a room! A boring bloody room with boring bloody people serving tea!  
"Miss? All you alright?"  
"Yes I'm fine," Lara lied, "I won't be having any tea. I'm going to retire to my room early this evening, if you don't mind. Tell my father, I'm still not well." Lara said.  
Lara could not stand what was happening around her. She sat in her room remembering... the only time she was ever in tune, the only time she was ever alive.  
  
There was blood all over her hands and on her clothes. She wasn't feeling scared, though, or sad. She felt like she had just seen the future. Challenge. How much she loved it. She was in the middle of the Himalayas and couldn't help but feel alive and excited in a strange way.  
Lara just killed the wolf and was ready to take on whatever because she knew that after this moment her life was changed forever. She no longer had a passion for Michael, or for all the other small things in her life that everyone had. She had a lust for life and a passion for challenge and adventure. When Michael proposed, she thought that that was the new beginning to her life, but the truth was this was. This was the first day of the rest of her life.  
She began to walk to look for civilization. But the first thing she did was making fire and eat the wolf she just killed. A little different then dinners at home, but I'll manage. In the mourning she was thirsty. But a different thirsty, she wanted water like she never had before. It was almost an obsession to her; it was all she could think about. She tried to ignore it and concentrate on finding a way to know where she should walk, but it was almost impossible.  
Days past where Lara did not eat or drink and it hurt her. She had never been through anything even resembling this. But days turned to weeks. Lara had not drank much water in so long she began to see everything so blurry and she got so short on breath and her stomach felt like it had a rock in it. She fell. She felt the cold snow on her freezing face and it hurt like knives. Lara felt it was time for her to die, like this was it. It's all over. In her mind she saw her father and herself and she realized she couldn't let herself die here. She wasn't going to. There was no way she could walk... but she could crawl. She began to move her body slowly, pushing herself through the pain. She looked far in the distance and couldn't believe her eyes. She saw a human. A strange looking woman that was running up to her. That was all Lara saw before she passed out. 


	12. Trying to escape sry this is unfinished ...

Chapter 17  
"How could this happen! Why!! She should have stayed with me! I wanted her to stay!! I didn't tell her! I was so stupid..." Michael was sobbing. I knew I couldn't stand to be away from her, I just wanted to give her space... and now she's gone! I should've asked her, I just should've something! It's my fault, If only... Michael just sat down and stopped thinking. He almost couldn't breath. All he could do was sleep so he didn't have to think about the pain. He wanted his life to finish.  
The phone was ringing and finally Michael answered it, for the first time in months.  
"Hello?"  
"Michael, I know this is a hard time for you but there is something we have to talk about... but you must understand that if this gets out it could kill someone that means a lot to you." It was the sound of Lara's father on the phone, and Michael was wondering why he sounded so calm after he just got news of her chartered plane crash. Michael shuddered at the thought.  
"I've already lost someone that means a lot to me, Sir Croft." Michael said, getting depressed understanding the true meaning of the words he just said.  
"Exactly."  
Chapter 18  
Moving was not an option, only laying still. The pain went from the calves to the hips through the stomach towards both arms. It was death laughing at its effect. She felt like her whole body had been beaten and there was a whole in her stomach. I bet my stomach has already started eating itself. Wouldn't be surprised a bit with this pain. I just have to find some way to be able to get home. Or stay alive. Everything ached, even her heart. She had never been through anything of the sort, but that was not the point. She felt alive. Kind of contradicting.... feeling like I've died and come back to life and yet I'm so alive and aware at the moment. I feel like my eyes have really opened. Then, realizing the irony, she opened her eyes to find herself in a village. Had she really seen someone before or had she just kept carrying herself half asleep? She fought to stay conscious and all she did was remember memories. Maybe I'm dieing. She remembered all the things her father taught her when she was a little girl. She remembered all the times she and her mother talked... realizing they had nothing in common. She remember all her vacations. She remembered Winston's home and Tibet. She remembered Greece, with her best friends from childhood. All the boys that she got along better with. 


End file.
